


7  Alice and Terry  20 Years Later and the Otterhound and the Tahoe Problem

by Mariahtessjojasper



Category: Proof of Life (2000), The Wedding Guest (2018), Year of the Dragon (1985)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:40:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 19
Words: 17,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28737387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mariahtessjojasper/pseuds/Mariahtessjojasper
Summary: 32/7, 18/9
Relationships: Alice Bowman - Relationship, Dino/Terry Thorne, Stanley White - Relationship, Terry Thorne - Relationship, Tracy - Relationship, jay Shah - Relationship





	1. January 15 Webbed Feet

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Russell Crowe](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Russell+Crowe).



Terry Thorne is in the conference room of his Global Risk Management and Protection office in San Francisco. Mike Gale, Terry’s San Francisco office head is there.  
“Dino back in St. Augustine, Terry?”  
“Yeah. Well he was flying back today. Mac is there doing some legal work. Mike don’t you know some guy who has a dog thing. Ex LAPD.”  
Mike Gale laughs. “Yeah. Stanley White. Lives over in Martinez. He has three rescues. Guy loves dogs. Started out in NYPD.  
“Alice wants a dog.”  
Jay walks in.  
“Hey.”  
“Jay, what kind of dog do you have?”  
“Bernese Mountain Dog. Samira got a Bernese. She wanted something big and gentle and lazy. Bernese is perfect, great with Chatty too.”  
“Do they drool?”  
“Yeah, big droolers.”  
“Alice wants a big dog. One that drools.”  
“Lot of choices. Bernese is good. Or maybe a Mastiff. Samira did all the research.”  
“Terry, why does Alice want a dog that drools? Is she joking?”  
“Don’t think she’s joking.”  
“You onboard with it, Terry?”  
“Onboard? Yeah. I’d like a dog that could be on the boat.”  
“Maybe a Portuguese Water Dog.”  
“So you need a big drooling seagoing dog.”  
Gale punches in a number.  
“Hey Stan, Mike Gale here. Terry Thorne’s wife wants a dog. Yeah my boss. Says she wants a big drooling one. And he wants one that will be comfortable on his boat. I told him you’re a dog savvy guy, might have some ideas. Yeah, let me put you on speaker.”

“Hey Stan. Terry here, mate. Yeah like Mike said, my wife wants a dog. I’m away from time to time. She’s alone in the house. Wants company I think.”

”There’s a dog over here. Not a rescue. Really could use a good home. Not a watchdog but a character. Comes with a cat. An Otterhound. Rare. Maybe 1000 left in the world. Weighs about 110, not exactly a drooler, more of a dripper. Messy drinker, bays like a bloodhound, loves water. Webbed feet. Personality like your typical hound. More energetic. Gets noisy if left alone. Good with kids. Loves his cat. Owner an ex Ranger, has ALS. Wants a good home, taking his time. Knows eventually won’t be able to care for him. Had him since he was a puppy. Trained him to search. Guy belonged before the ALS to volunteer Search and Rescue Group. Dog was a star in SAR. Would like to find somebody who would let him stay with the group. Cat is nice enough. Bonded pair. Grew up together. You want to have a look at him?”

”Yeah. Let me call Alice. We might take a look at him. Webbed feet?”

”Lot of water type dogs have web feet.”

Terry smiles. ”Webbed feet.”

“Let me call her. I’ll call you right back.”

Terry says again, “Webbed feet.”


	2. January 16:No Need to Know

It’s a beautiful afternoon. The Bay is sparkling in the afternoon sunlight. Lots of sailboats out. Terry is driving their new Audi Q7. Alice is in front. Mike Gale is in the back seat. They are on their way to Martinez to see the dog. The Otterhound. 

"New car?"

"Yeah. Dino got them. One for me, one for him. Offered Alice one and Mac. Alice is happy with her Volvo, Mac with her Tesla. Audi supposedly designed by pilots. Sold Dino. My old Land Rover is still in St. Augustine. It and the Ford Explorer I have in London are still my favorites. Land Rover is in good shape. I'm going to bring it out. It's good for moving stuff around. Taking stuff to and from the boat. Alice's son is going drive it here for me. 

"This is nice. I rented Audis a few times in India. I liked them."

“So how long were you in India, Mike?”

”10 years.”

“Where were you?”

”Jaipur.”

”You were retired?”

Yeah. Retired there. Had been in the military, then worked for the government. Working in India and Pakistan. Liked India a lot. Food, the people, liked the sounds, the feeling of the place. It has a rhythm. Had some retirement money. Got a nice townhouse there in Jaipur. Had a boyfriend there. Lived with me off and on. An actor. After 8 years, he got involved with someone else. Also whole time there felt like I could never get a decent cup of coffee. Well except at the big fancy hotels. Went back and forth for two years about staying, going, decided to come back to The States, to The Bay Area. Planned to find a place in The Castro. Still looking.

Terry adds, ”And Global snapped him up when we got the chance. Mike was previously in the clandestine services. Good at disguises. Worked with a theater group in Jaipur. Costuming. Nice cover. Plenty of resources. And did a little free lance clandestining on the side to amuse himself.”

”I’d take a request from time to time. Just to stay in practice.”

”Clandestining? So what, you were in the CIA?”

Gale smiles, ”Sorry, Alice, need to know basis.”

”Terry, he works for you. Tell him he has to tell me.”

Terry looks at her, ”Why do you need to know?”

Alice exhales, almost a snort. “Okay then tell us about your friend Stanley White and his dogs.”

”Stan is Polish, speaks Polish and English grew up in New York, was a Marine, then NYPD, was Captain in Chinatown, caused an uproar there, went to Detroit then LAPD. Has a girlfriend. Think that relationship is kind of new. Or an old one he resumed. Has a little house in Martinez. Volunteers in the Tenderloin at a Vet Center. Interesting guy. Got into art theft investigations at LAPD. Seems a bit rough around the edges for art collecting crowd but he’s got a good reputation, still gets calls from insurance companies. Loves dogs. Never had kids.”  
  
“So Mike, where are you from? Originally?”

”I was a Berkeley kid. Free range kid.”

”A Berkeley kid in the CIA?”

”Who said I was in the CIA?”

”Oh sorry, I thought you said that.”

“She’s a sly one, Terry.”


	3. January 16 Continued Meeting Stanley and Fritz and Elena and Eric

They pull up to a neat dark blue bungalow on a tree-lined side street in Martinez. A well manicured front yard, a raised front porch. A screen door with the front door open behind it. Three dogs are looking out through the screen. A very fit looking man in his 60s opens the screen door. Tan. Tank top, snug jeans, sneakers. Hair over his ears. The dogs follow him out onto the porch. The dogs look at him, he holds up a hand and they sit immediately. They stay on the porch as he walks down the steps and out toward the car. Terry, Alice and Mike get out, walk toward him.

“Hi Mike, good to see you man.”

He puts his hand out to Terry, “Stanley White. Hear good things about you. You moved here from England?”

“Yeah, by way of St Augustine.”

Stanley White turns his attention to Alice. “You must be Mrs. Thorne.”

“Alice.”

“Alice. So you’re looking for a dog.”

“We had a break-in. Terry is gone from time to time. I’d feel better if I had a dog.”

The three dogs remain sitting on the porch. One is a very large German Shepard, almost black. He is sitting quietly. A second one, a white pit bull, is sitting but having a hard time, is wiggling in place, eager to follow Stanley out into the yard. The third one is small, a Chihuahua mix. She has her gaze fixed on Stanley, she is softly whining.

Stanley motions with his hand and the white dog and the Chihuahua bolt for him. The German Shepard gets up, lopes leisurely toward Stanley.

“Let me introduce my friends here. This lovely white fellow is Eric. He’s a Pitt Bull, an optimist. He was abandoned on the side of the 580 Freeway. Just sat there patiently on the shoulder like he knew someone would pick him up eventually and things would work out. He is as sweet as they come, partial to the ladies. This big fellow is Fritz. He’s a high price pure bred German Shepard. Was trained by the Navy for Tier 1 Operations but he has a philosophical bent. Doesn’t like to act quickly, likes to think things over. Can climb a 7 foot wall, knows all the Seal commands, trained to attack on command but will only do it if he agrees on principal. A bit too intellectual for the Navy. But he couldn’t go to a civilian, he knows too much. Trainers liked him, wanted to avoid having him euthanized. So I got a call. We get along fine because I respect his need to consider things carefully. This little dancing girl is Elena. She is a bit theatrical and possessive. She tends to turn her back on guests if she feels she isn’t the center of attention. Got her from Milo Foundation. There was a glut of Chihuahuas for awhile.”

Elena has been excited but after seeing she is not the center of attention, she goes back up the stairs to the porch, turns her back and lies down. Eric is wiggling happily looking up at Alice. Fritz has given Terry, Mike and Alice a sniff, then he goes back and sits alertly to Stanley’s right.

Alice squats down and begins petting Eric. “He’s a charmer.”

“Come on in. Let me tell you about the dog and his person before we go over. He doesn’t live far. We can walk over. We'll leave these guys here. They'll be fine alone for an hour or so. My girlfriend Tracy made pineapple-up side down cake and I make coffee that Mike will drink.”

Mike laughs, “His coffee is just barely drinkable.”

”Well you can put some Kailua in it then Mike. Or if you don’t want coffee, I have wine. Beer. I can offer something stronger.”

Mike says ”Coffee is fine.”

Stanley turns and walks back toward the house. Climbs the stairs. Terry and Mike and Alice and the two dogs follow. Elena joins the other two dogs as they go in the house. The house is clean and neat. The living room has an attractive array of mismatched furniture. Two chairs, a sofa covered with a blanket, a coffee table. There are flowers, peonies in a vase on the table. A coat rack in the corner with a faded army jacket, thread bare in some places. The jacket has a patch that says 82nd Airborne. On the living room wall is a framed poster. Has visible creases. it looks as if had been folded and then unfolded. It says "WKXT", and “If it's news to you, it's news to us.” The poster has a picture of a young beautiful Asian woman and Caucasian man posed slightly behind her. Alice takes a moment to study the poster but says nothing.  
  
Stanley leads them into the kitchen. The dogs follow, but stop at the kitchen door. Elena lies down. Eric does too. Fritz sits behind them. Elena gradually extends one paw past the doorway, then a second paw.

Stanley looks at her sternly. She looks hurt but withdraws her paws.

“They have to be invited in to the kitchen.”

The kitchen is sunny and there is a round wooden table with four mismatched chairs. A vase of fresh flowers on the table. Stanley motions for them to sit. He begins making coffee. Puts a pineapple upside down cake on the table, forks, a knife, some plates, napkins. Puts a bottle of Kailua on the table.   
  
Mike gestures at the table, the plates. “Aren’t you the host with the most.”

Stanley says, “Got detailed instructions this morning from Tracy on how to do this. She is crazy about Zephyr, thinks he looks like Tramp, you know in Lady and the Tramp, Disney. Well a bigger Tramp. Wants him to go to a good home. Would like us to take him.”

Alice asks, ”Why don’t you take him?”

”Ah, he comes with his own cat. My guys might be okay with a cat, but might not. Even for a cat that’s used to one dog, there’s a lot of dog here.”

“Couldn’t someone take the cat?”

“No cat, no Zephyr. When Zephyr was a puppy just days old, Zephyr’s family took in a new born kitten to foster, bottle-fed her. From their first days together, the kitten and Zephyr were inseparable. The family insisted that anyone who took Zephyr had to agree to take the kitten. The cat is named Bonus because Marty just wanted Zephyr and he felt he got the cat as a bonus. So for awhile he just called them Zephyr and The Bonus. Then dropped the “The” and just called her “Bonus” The name stuck. 

Stanley puts milk and sweetener on the table, serves cups of coffee. Mike adds Kailua to his. Alice takes a drink of hers. “This is good coffee. Mike, it’s good.”

“Yeah, just wanted an excuse to add the Kailua.” Terry also pours Kailua in his coffee. Looks at Alice. Shrugs.

Alice says, “May I serve the cake?”

Stanley nods and Alice begins serving the Pineapple up-side-down cake.

Terry says, “So tell us about Zephyr.”

Stanley pours himself coffee, adds Kailua, pulls out a chair sits at the table with them. The dogs stay in the doorway looking longingly at the table. Elena begins inching her paws forward again. 

Stanley takes a long drink of the coffee now laced with Kailua. ”Zephyr is a great dog, an Otterhound. Doesn’t look like a typical hound, not like a bloodhound. But he follows his nose and he bays the way hounds do. Singing they call it. Not just when he’s following a scent, but at other times cause he likes to hear himself. So Marty has been looking for awhile for the right home. Has turned down 3-4 offers. Zephyr is a rare breed. Maybe 1000 left n the world. They were used to hunt otters in the marshes in England. Breed goes back to the 1100s. Not much call for otter hunting these days. And there are plenty of dogs Zephyr’s size with more appealing characteristics. Otterhounds aren’t particularly obedient, but they are playful, kind of jokesters. Good with kids, loyal, terrific at tracking. Hard to house train but Zephyr finally learned. He’s good on that. Marty’s sister Louise loves him, would take him and his cat companion but she’s a nurse long shifts and he’d be left alone too much. When Zephyr’s alone too much even with his cat, he bays. Marty trained him for search and rescue. Zephyr loves search and rescue. Loves tracking a scent. He’s three years old. Marty had him a year, when Marty started noticing weakness in his hands, started dropping things. Got diagnosed. ALS. It’s a death sentence. He managed okay for a year. He’s getting worse. Marty never married, was an Army Ranger, retired here, raised here in Martinez. Family is here. Parents live here. They pitch in with his care now. Just the one one sister, a nurse, lives here in town. She’s rented her place, is living with Marty now to help care for him. I dated her once upon a time. We stayed in touch. She introduced me to Marty and Zef. When he got Zeph, he was interested in meeting a dog friendly guy. I’ve known Zephyr since he was 3 months old.”

“He has to give up his dog because of ALS? Can’t he find a way to keep him?”

”ALS is a nasty disease. No cure. No treatment really. Always a death sentence. Most people get 3-5 years. Muscles stop working. He’s getting worse. Knows it will kill him. Gets by with help. Wants to be sure Zephyr will be okay. He’s hopeful you will be the right people.”

”Yeah no pressure.” Mike says sarcastically.

”Mike, how do you and Stanley know each other?”

”Vet Center. In the Tenderloin. I was 101st Airborne before I went to clandestine services. Like to hang out around vets sometimes. Stan volunteers there. Met him there. Just got to talking. He’s trying to talk me into volunteering. Keep an eye out for talent for Global when I’m there.”

Alice notices a fenced off garden in the back yard. Asks if she can see it. She and Stanley go out to look at it. Stanley calls the dogs and they go outside with Stanley and Alice

Terry says, “Pretty fit guy.”

Mike nods. “Was a boxer. Still trains.”

Terry says, “Shows. This dog. Maybe a Labrador or something would be better. This baying might bother the neighbors.”

“Needs a good home, Terry. A Ranger needs help.”

”Yeah no pressure huh Mike. I wouldn’t mind the German Shepard. That is some dog.”

Alice and Stanley come back in. 

“I’m sorry we won’t be able to meet your girlfriend.”

”Yeah. She wanted to be here, give you the sales pitch for Zephyr herself, before you met him, but she had to be at the station. She’ll be back about 4. She just moved out here from New York. Been living with her about a month. She had a morning show in New York on a Chinese station. Doesn’t need to work but she’s worried she’ll be bored if she doesn’t do something. ROJN the Chinese station took her on as a producer.”

“She moved out here to be with you?”

”Yeah she did.”

”Sounds like a romantic story.”

“We met when I was with NYPD and she was a reporter. Long time ago. Lived with her for awhile after my wife died. She got tired of me, moved on, married some Frenchman. Lived in France for awhile. Divorced the Frenchman moved back to New York. Had the morning show. A year ago she had a stalker. The stalker sent notes referring to things that happened back when I was in NYPD, things she had reported on. She contacted me out here about the stalking.”

Alice laughs, “And you never really got over her. And the stalking brought her back into your life.”

Stanley nods. “About right. Dealt with the stalking. Brought us close again. I wanted to be with her but didn’t want to go to New York. She didn’t want to come here. Took us awhile to work out the geography.”

“So she came here.”

”When she got the producer job, she did.” 


	4. January 16 Continued More:An Unpropitious Meeting with Zephyr

Martin Willit’s house is like Stanley’s. A bungalow on a shady street. There is a raised porch like Stanley's but a ramp has been added to the side. A woman is watching through the screen from the doorway. “Hi Stan.”

~~”Hi Lou. This is Louise. Louise, Mike, Terry, and Alice. Alice and Terry are the prospective adopters.”~~

”Come on in.” She pushes open the screen door.

A large scrufty dog pushes Louise out of the way and takes off down the stairs. Glances at Terry Mike Alice and Stan as he runs by. Puts his head down, runs down the street. Following his nose.

“Goddamn dog.” Louise runs down the steps after him.

~~“ZEPHYR STOP. DAMN IT STOP. ” Zephyr ignores her.~~

~~”STANLEY HELP ME. ”~~

Stanley joins Louise running after Zephyr. Zephyr is loping along just following some scent. Louise keeps screaming, “ZEPHYR STOP.” Stanley runs easily. Out distances Louise. Gains on the the dog.

Stanley stops whistles, a loud piercing whistle and Zephyr pauses looks up at Stanley as if coming out of a trance. Stanley quickly runs to the dog and gets him by the collar.

“Lou bring me a leash.” 

~~Louise goes back in the house, gets a leash brings it out to Stanley.~~

Terry, Alice and Mike are standing frozen in the yard.

Louise says as she walks by on her way to Stanley and Zephyr, “Please don’t judge him by what you just saw. He’s a good dog. He’s just just just well he’s just Zephyr.

Stanley hooks Zephyr up on the leash, brings him back. Zephyr trots docilely beside him. Stanley brings him over to Alice and Terry and Mike. 

Zephyr sniffs. Terry and Mike offer their hands. He sniffs their hands, pant legs, shoes. Then he looks at Alice. Alice doesn’t offer her hand. “Sorry, I don’t think you’re my type.” 

Zephyr begins slowly sniffing Alice. Her pant legs, one then the other. Her shoes. One then the other. He walks around behind her, pulls Stanley with him. Sniffs her legs in the back. Comes up beside her. Puts his head under her hand. Bobs his head up and down under her hand.

Stanley says, “He wants you to pet him. Scratch his head.”

Alice looks down at the dog who still has his head under her hand. She shakes her head. Zephyr moves his head from under her hand, looks up at her sadly. She says to the dog, “This soulful look and this trying to get me to pet you, it isn’t going to work, you know.”

Terry is laughing. “Worked for me.”

Stanley says, “Always works for me.”

Louise says, “Come in meet my brother.”


	5. January 16 Still: Zephyr Attempts Amends

An attractive man who appears to be in his forties is sitting in a large black electric wheelchair. He smiles though his face seems to struggle a little with the smile.  
He speaks slowly. Thank you for coming. I'm Martin.” He pauses swallows. Continues. “He does do that all the time. But I guess it is good you saw it.” Martin pauses again swallows again. “You know what you are in for if you take him.” Martin is a little hard to understand.  
Stanley unhooks the leash from the collar. Zephyr goes over to Martin and gives his hand a lick, then walks over to Alice, bumps her hand with his head again. Alice looks down at him. “You know I saw you running down the street. Ignoring everyone.”  
Zephyr looks intently up at Alice.  
“Forget it. I told you that soulful look isn’t going to work with me.”  
Terry walks over to Zephyr. Picks up a paw. Turns it pad side up. Pushes the center of his paw spreading it. Zephyr has big webbed feet. “Nice feet. He like the water?”  
Martin says, pausing from time to time to swallow. “Before I had trouble walking, I used to walk him down to The Straits.” Pause. “He would go right in. Swim around. Clear he enjoyed it.” Pause.” Got the feet for it and the coat.” Pause, swallow. “And when we were out on a search, water, marsh, swamp areas didn’t phase him. Some of the other dogs would balk, but not him. “  
Zephyr looks up at Alice, bumps her hand again. “Sorry buddy, don’t want a juvenile delinquent dog.”  
Zephyr continues looking at Alice. Then he flops over on his side, rolls on his back, puts all four feet up in the air. Waves his legs in the air. He rolls on his side and looks up at Alice.  
“So you can lie on you back. Still not impressed.”  
Zephyr gets up walks out of the room.  
Martin says slowly, “He wants to please you.”  
Zephyr comes back in with a dirty Calico covered stuffed toy squirrel. Brings it to Alice, puts it at her feet. Looks up at her questioningly.  
“You want to give me your squirrel to make up for a bad first impression? It’s not enough. ”  
Zephyr looks over at Martin. Leaves again, goes through what looks like a bedroom door. They can hear scratching sounds, then a door squeaks.  
Louise says, “Oh shit.”  
Before she can get to the bedroom door, Zephyr comes trotting back out. He is carrying a suede, fawn-colored, sling back three inch heel shoe. He brings it to Alice. Drops it at her feet. Looks up at her.  
Alice starts laughing. “Not sure it’s my size, buddy, and I’d need two of them.”  
“Damn it Zephyr .” Louise starts for the shoe, but even she is laughing.  
“He really wants to please you, Alice.”  
“Did you teach him this bit? A way to woo prospective adopters?”  
Martin swallows, says, “No. It is all him.” Pause. “He is not that trainable.”  
Zephyr goes back in the bedroom and then returns with another shoe. Not an exact match but similar. Drops it in front of Alice.  
Louise says “That’s it.” Louise goes over to pick up the shoes. Zephyr looks at Louise, growls softly.  
Louise says, "Fine. But no more." She leaves the shoes in front of Alice, walks over closes the bedroom door.  
“Are you sure you three didn’t rehearse this before we came?”  
Zephyr pushes the second shoe toward Alice with his nose.  
Stanley says, “They didn’t teach him that. It’s just Zephyr. That’s what he’s like. Makes you want to strangle him, then makes you laugh. The breed, they are jokers.”  
Stanley says, “Marty how about if we walk him down to The Straits. I’ll pick up my bunch on the way. Bring him back in an hour or so.”


	6. January 16 even still later And Bonus the Cat

They are down at the strait. The dogs are off leash running along the shore.  
Alice is sitting at a picnic table. Terry is standing by her. Mike and Stanley are standing on the other side of the picnic table. Stanley has brought a big folding water bowl in a back pack. He fills it, puts it on the ground by the picnic table.  
The dogs run together. The two big dogs match their pace to the smaller dogs. The four make large circles. They run along the edge of the water. Getting their feet wet and their legs but not going swimming. Zephyr goes farther into the water than the others. They chase each other and circle back up to Stanley. They take turns at the water bowl. Elena goes first. Stanley refills it once. Zephyr goes last. He puts his whole head in the bowl. He drinks from the bottom of the bowl. He takes his head out, his head is dripping with water.  
Terry says laughing, “You wanted drooling Alice. He’s definitely your man.”  
Alice says, “Do they all drink like that? The whole head in the water.”  
“Characteristic of the breed. Drink from the bottom of the bowl.”  
The other dogs don’t wait for Zephyr. The run back down to the shore. Zephyr runs after them his face still dripping water. He catches up easily.  
Zephyr and Fritz finally take off together, they like running together. They are about the same size. Eric and Elena try to keep up with them but they can't. Eric manages better than Elena, but the two big dogs with their long strides just outrun them.  
Zephyr breaks off from the run from time to time and swims out a ways. Looking back to see if Fritz will follow but Fritz doesn't. Zephyr is clearly disappointed that Fritz won't swim with him.  
Terry notices. "He likes the water. He wants Fritz to swim with him."  
Stanley says, "Yeah. He does. Fritz will swim but he doesn't like the water the way Zephyr does. Zephyr is attracted to it."  
Terry says, "He’d be great on he boat."  
Mike says, "I don't know Terry might be a case of dog overboard. Not sure he would stay on the boat."  
Zephyr runs back up to the picnic table. He is dripping wet. He runs to Alice and tries to put his wet head in her lap.  
Alice looks down at him, "You are all wet. Go away."  
Zephyr shakes vigorously. Soaking Alice.  
Alice says, "Fine now we are both all wet."  
Zephyr shakes again. Bumps Alice with his head.  
Stanley whistles and the other dogs come running back to the table.  
Stanley says, "Probably ought to be getting back." He leashes up the dogs. "Everybody gets a dog. Alice why don't you take Zephyr."  
Alice shakes her head, "I'd rather take Eric. Let Terry take him."  
 ~~Terry says, "I'll take him. Or I'll take Fritz."~~  
 ~~Stanley says, "Mike can take Fritz, I'll take Elena."~~  
 ~~Stanley and Mike walk ahead with Elena and Fritz. Alice and Terry walk together behind them. Except for a final shake just before they leave the park, Zephyr is perfectly behaved all the way back. He walks quietly along with Eric.~~

*  
They stop at Stanley's. Mike and Stanley go in with Elena, Fritz, and Eric. Eric looks longingly at Alice for a minute then goes to his water bowl and takes a long drink.  
Terry and Alice take Zephyr back to Martin’s. Take him up the stairs, knock on the door. Louise answers. Opens the door to them. Zephyr pulls Terry into the living room. Alice follows.  
Alice says to Louise, "I see you got your shoes put away. "  
"Yeah. I can't believe he growled at me. He growled at me. Almost never growls. Not taking it personally. He seemed pretty intent on pleasing you. "  
Martin comes in in his wheelchair.  
"How did it go?"  
"He gave Alice a shower. He likes to swim. Has he ever been on a boat?"  
"No."  
"Are you still interested?"  
Terry looks at Alice. She smiles. "Terry is."  
"How about you?"  
"He is a terrible dog. He's a juvenile delinquent, but how often do you find a dog that brings you one of his toys and makes you laugh."  
Louise says, "Don't forget the shoes."  
"I'd be more impressed if they were from the same pair."  
"Alice and I need to talk. He'd be a challenge."  
"Yeah, I know. I feel good about you two. He wanted to please Alice. Never seen him want to impress anyone that much. "  
"Give us 24 hours to think about it."  
"If you are still interested, I recommend a home visit. Take him home with you, keep him for a day or two and see what it's like. "  
Alice looks around, "What about the cat.? He comes with a cat right?"  
Louise says. "I'll get the cat." She goes into the bedroom, comes back with a beautiful long haired black cat draped in her arms. "This is The Bonus."  
"She's beautiful. Is she friendly?"  
"Very. Her take her." Louise hands her to Alice.  
The cat makes a sound more of a chirp than a meow then settles in Alice's arms. Alice cradles her. Bonus lifts her head up puts out her tongue and licks Alice quickly and lightly right on the end of Alice’s nose."  
"She kisses."  
"Not very often. ~~Don't know how you feel Alice, but you seem to have both Zephyr and Bonus's approval."~~  
Martin says slowly. Pausing and swallowing. "Talk. Think it over. Give us a call tomorrow. If you are still interested, you can do a home visit next."  
Alice strokes Bonus. "Does Bonus go for the home visit?"  
Louise shakes her head." She could but keeping track of both of them would be challenging. One at a time would be better. Maybe just Zephyr for the home visit.

*

T ~~erry and Alice walk back down to Stanley's. Knock on the door. Stanley yells for them to come in.~~  
 ~~He and Mike are in the back yard with the dogs. Eric is overjoyed to see Alice again. Elena debates whether to stay with the group or go off and pout, decides to stay. Stanley makes a point of telling Elena what a beautiful special dog she is.~~  
 ~~"I got a lasagna and some romaine from the garden and a couple of bottles of Chianti, if you'd like to stay for dinner. Truth in advertising Lasagna is from Costco. Tracy is partial to anything Italian. She should be back in about a half hour. Like you to meet her. She'll be eager to know how you liked Zephyr. Did you meet The Bonus."~~  
 ~~"We did. What a beautiful cat. Her fur is so soft it is almost like feathers. She kissed me. Just lightly."~~  
 ~~Stanley gets up. "Take my chair, Alice. I'm going in the kitchen, I told Tracy I'd have dinner ready when she gets home. You want to stay? "~~  
 ~~Terry says, "Up to Alice. And Mike."~~  
 ~~Mike says, "I can stay.”~~  
 ~~Alice says, "I'd like to meet Tracy. And I wouldn't mind spending a little more time with Eric. We kind of have a thing."~~  
 ~~Terry says, "Okay mate. Thanks."~~  
 ~~Alice says, "I'm just going to call my son. Let him know what we are doing."~~  
 ~~Alice leaves. Goes in the living room. Talks for a little while.~~  
 ~~Alice comes back in. "My son is in Las Vegas with his friend Noah. Noah is a genius kid. He has entered a poker tournament. He could win. I hope they won't get in any trouble.~~  
 ~~Mike laughs, "Maybe we should send Fritz over to guard them."~~  
 ~~"Or Elena."~~


	7. January 16 Later That Night The Decision

It’s night. Late. Alice and Terry are sitting outside their bedroom on their terrace. Alice is on a lounge and Terry is leaning over the railing. Alice has on sweats and a wool sweater and a pair of socks. She has a blanket over her. Terry has on a jeans and sweatshirt with torn sleeves. He’s barefoot. The lights of San Francisco sparkle in the distance across the Bay. You can see car lights on the Golden Gate.  
“Nice place, Mrs. Overlord.”  
“Your money, Mr. Overlord.”  
“Our money now. Overlord money.”  
Alice says, “We have to talk about this dog.”  
“Do we?”  
“We have to tell Martin something.”  
“I like the dog’s feet.”  
“Terry what if we get him on the boat and he jumps off and just swims away. I mean there is a reason there are only a thousand of these dogs. No one wants them. There are better dogs.”  
“So when do you want to have the home visit.”  
“We might as well get it over with. I like the cat.  
“Satanic looking cat”  
“Terry. Stop.”  
“If he jumps off the boat, I’ll just go after him. I’m a strong swimmer.”  
“You should probably learn to whistle like Stanley. I’m going to record Stanley’s whistle on my phone. That stopped him.”  
“It brought him out of his nose trance. At least momentarily.”  
“Terry, I was thinking of a normal dog.”  
“He has great feet.”  
“If we take him, I want to leave him with Martin as long as possible. What do you know about ALS?”  
“Muscle weakness, muscle deterioration. Then you die.”  
“Terry that is a brutal summary. How far along is Martin?”  
“He’s in a wheel chair so that means his leg muscles are probably too weak to hold him up while walking. He has some muscle weakness in his face. We could understand him, but it’s affecting his speech.”  
“If I had ALS, I’d go to Oregon and commit suicide.”  
“Not that easy for Martin to travel. And if you had ALS, when would you do it?”  
“Before it got too bad.”

*


	8. January 17 A Home visit is scheduled

January 17

“Terry waits until afternoon the next day to call.

“Hi Louise. Yeah speaker is fine. Alice is here with me. Hi Martin. We want to try a home visit. And I want to learn that whistle that Stanley uses.”  
Louise on phone, “Martin says great. I’m relaying things for him. He has a hard time being understood on the phone sometimes.”  
“I want to take Zephyr on my boat.”  
“Martin says Zephyr will probably love it. He wants to know if you take Zephyr would you consider becoming a volunteer with the Bay Area Volunteer Search and Rescue team? Zephyr was kind of a star there. “  
Terry looks at Alice. She shrugs, nods.  
“Yeah. We’ll keep him in that. Need to get some more information on them. When do you want us to get him? Like to keep him for 2 or 3 days.”  
“You are brave.”  
Terry says, “He needs a home. Who better than us?”  
Louise says “Are you sure? You don’t have to.  
”I’m sure. Alice is pretending to waffle.”  
“Look Martin, if we take him, we will leave him with you as long as possible. And then we will still bring him back to visit you. We’ll keep him in your life.”  
Louise says, “Martin is crying a little. He says Zephyr was right to go all in on Alice.”  
Alice says, “The shoes didn’t even match. And he got me soaking wet.”  
Louise says “Martin sees his neurologist tomorrow and has his occupational therapist the next day. How about the day after that?   
“Sure. In the early afternoon. Okay."  
Terry hangs up.  
“Ah, dog food, dog poop.”  
“Baying at the moon.”  
“Tracking mud in.”  
“Hair all over. He probably sheds.”  
”He probably vomits.”  
“Hairballs”  
“More hair all over”  
“She is a beautiful cat.”  
“You could retire, stay home with me. We wouldn’t need a dog.”  
“I thought you were getting to like the adventure. And Alice, North Korea was yours. Ward Dellums was yours.”  
“True, but India, Pakistan, Turkey twice or is it three times and Guatemala. Beirut. All yours.”  
“Banff was both.”  
“It was not.”  
“Terry that is in one year.”  
“Sixteen months.”  
“Not retiring. Have to pay for this house. And now there will be dog food bills.”  
“And cat food bills.”  
“Dog toys.”  
“Cat toys”  
“And veterinary bills”  
“I’m having the yard fenced.”  
“It’s all hill. How are they going to do that?”  
“They can do it.”  
“What if we don’t take him? Maybe a Labradoodle would be better. They look similar.”  
Terry looks at her silently. Then he says, “Zephyr needs a home. Martin was a soldier. A Ranger. Needs someone to do this for him. He needs to know his dog will have a good home. Martin needs someone who will keep the dog in his life as much as possible. As long as possible. That’s us.”  
“I know that’s us.”


	9. January 18 Noah and Poker

It is late morning. Alice is on the deck outside the living room. Fog is coming though the Golden Gate. Fat tentacles of it. She can feel the temperature dropping as it comes through. She calls Nick.  
“When are you coming home?”  
"Mom, I was planning on doing things with Jenna. I feel lost without her. But I'm okay. Kind of unfocused. Noah won $500,000 in the poker tournament.”  
Alice takes a breath.  
He did. Nick that is a lot of money for a 21 year old.  
Not really that big a deal to Noah. He just put it in the bank. The hotel moved Noah to a nicer room. And mom there are girls well women coming around. Just friendly you know, interested in Noah and me. It’s the poker money. They weren’t interested before. Most of them seem a little older, more experienced. Pretty. Noah is kind of a jerk with them. He does his magic tricks. We are going to Tahoe in a couple of days. Noah wants to play again. I’d kind of like to talk to Terry, is he there? Noah winning the money. It feels different here.”  
“He’s here, he’s outside. He is having a fence put in. From the street down to the water. He’s with the fence guys. He usually has his phone.  
I’ll have him call you when he comes in.  
Nick, we are getting the dog. The one we went to see. He’s the three year old Otterhound. A man with ALS has him. He has to give him up so Terry and I agreed to take him. He comes with a cat.”  
“Yeah, that’s good Mom. It’s a big house. Terry is gone sometimes. I’m gone a lot. That great mom. It’s just what you need.”  
This dog, Nick, he’s kind of different.”  
How big is he?  
He’s 110 lbs. About the size of a Labrador retriever.  
Sounds good mom. I gotta go. Ask Terry to call me. Okay?  
Yeah I will. I love you.  
Love you too mom. It’s good about the dog. Bye.  
Bye.

Terry walks out onto the deck kisses her. “Fence looks good. Aren’t you cold? Want me to turn on a heater.”  
"Noah won $500,000 playing poker."  
"Kid was probably counting cards. Or has devised some system. Kid's a genius. They’ll ban him if he keeps winning."  
"They are going up to Tahoe next. Nick wants you to call him."  
"We probably ought to pick up a few things for the Zephyr visit. Pet store. Our own leash. Toys, bowls, pee pads.  
Okay. Let me get dressed. Are you wearing that.  
Terry looks down. He has on shorts, a Rabbitoth jersey and deck shoes with no socks. “What wrong with this?”  
“A little casual.”  
“What would you like me to wear.”  
“I guess that’s fine.”  
Terry smiles.  
“I told Nick about Zephyr. He approved. Doesn’t want me in the house alone.”


	10. January 20 Nick Consults Terry

Terry is waiting for Alice. He has on jeans, loafers and a black t-shirt. He is sitting on the deck outside the kitchen.  
He calls Nick.  
“Hi Nick. Your mother wanted me to call.”  
“Terry, Noah won a lot of money.”  
“Your mother told me.”  
“I mean he did it to see if could. He has some system. It isn’t cheating or anything. “  
“Terry have you a I mean I know you wouldn’t now with my mom I mean married to my mom but have you ever been with you know a a a sex worker.”  
“Why?  
“After Noah won, he won $500,000, they changed Noah’s room, something nicer a suite. I just stayed in the room we had. And you know girls uh women, they are really pretty, came around. At first I didn’t get it. I thought maybe they knew about the money, maybe thought Noah would buy them dinner or a present or something but it was about sex, they were sexy, they let us know you know that money was involved.”  
Terry smiles at the phone.  
“Noah didn’t get it. He wanted to do magic tricks for them. But you know Jenna broke-up with me, I wouldn’t have done it otherwise.”  
“Don’t worry about it mate. You remember Dino and I joking about the night your mom and dad left Tecala, I got drunk. “  
“Yeah.”  
“Dino and I went to a place we liked. Would go. Nice place, drinks weren’t watered down, there were girls available for the night. Or the afternoon.”  
“Did you?”  
“Yeah sometimes. Not that night.“  
“Dino did?  
“Sometimes. Yeah.”  
“Terry, it was nice. She was nice. She made it easy. Pretended she liked me. I mean I know it’s what they do.”  
“Nick is there something you want to ask me?”  
“My mom, she wouldn’t understand.”  
“No, probably not.”  
“Noah and I are going to go to Tahoe. Noah wants to try his system again. But I would like to see her again before we leave. She gave me her number. I can call her. I don’t know if I should. I’d like to have sex with her again, I could pay. Noah gave me some of the money.”  
Terry says, “Did you meet her at your hotel. Take her to your room last night?”  
“Yeah.”  
“There are safer ways. But probably best In this case to do that again. Have her come back to the hotel. Probably fine. But sometimes these girls work with a guy who would rob you and Noah. Most don’t. Better to just take her to your room than to go someplace with her.”  
“It’s a risk isn’t it.”  
Terry says, “Always a risk.”  
“You don’t think it’s wrong?”  
“Always enjoyed it. “  
“Does my mom know, I mean know you did that?”  
“Might have failed to mention it. But she hasn’t asked.”  
“I would have said no if I were still with Jenna.”  
Alice comes out. Points to Terry’s phone, “Nick?”  
Terry nods. “Your mom is here. We are going to go out to the pet store to pick up some things for the wonder dog. He’s coming for a home visit. I want to take him on my boat.”  
“Yeah okay Terry. Thanks, I mean it thanks. Could you tell my mom I’ll call her from Tahoe.”  
“Sure, bye mate.”  
Terry hangs up.  
Alice asks, “What time is it?”  
“Where?”  
“Here.”  
1330 (Thirteen thirty). 1:30.  
“We need to go.”  
“Do you want to take him to the boat when we get him?”  
“Yeah, just see how he does. Not take the boat out. Just introduce him to it.  
“Okay. We could eat dinner on it. Pick up something.”  
Terry takes a step toward her, puts his arms around her, kisses her.”  
“A boat, a wife, a dog.”  
“And a house with a fence.”  
“Part of a fence.”  
Terry is standing with his arms around Alice.  
“Let’s go.”  
“Terry, a leash, bowls, a toy. What about food?”  
“They may send some with him. We’ll figure it out.”  
“We shouldn’t leave him alone.”  
“No.”  
“I feel for Martin.”  
“Yeah.”  
Terry locks the doors, they go out through the garage. Take the Audi.  
The drive is pleasant. ~~They go north then cross the Richmond Bridge.~~ It’s a sunny day. A little wind.  
“Good day for a sail.”  
“In a few days.”  
“Yeah.”  
“What did Nick want to talk about?”  
“Just about Las Vegas, safety, the money.”  
“Oh.”  
“ ~~Are we going to stop in to see Stanley?”~~  
~~“Hadn’t thought about it. You want to see him?”~~  
~~“I think Zephyr enjoys being with his dogs.”~~  
“Alice, taking Zephyr, it is going to involve us with Martin. We are going to be with him. Now til he dies. It’s going to be painful. Not too late to change your mind.”  
“It is too late. He needs us, I need a dog.”  
“Doesn’t have to be this dog.”  
“Terry, it feels decided to me.”  
Terry reaches across and takes her hand, smiles.  
“Terry, have you looked into the Search and Rescue Group?”  
“A little. I want to talk to Martin more about it. Might be something I could get my guys involved in.”  
Alice says “Global?”  
“Maybe. Need to know more. Some volunteer organizations have toxic internal politics.”  
“I don’t think Martin would put up with toxic politics.”  
“He puts up with Zephyr.”  
“Terry, I want to know everything about Zephyr. Who his mom was. Who his dad was. Did the breeder think there was going to be some renaissance in Otterhounds.”  
“Martin can tell you I imagine.”  
“And I want to learn about ALS. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.”  
Terry looks at her and smiles.  
Alice says, “In for a penny in for a pound.”


	11. Zephyr’s Home Visit, a call from Nick

They pull up in front of Willits’ house. Climb the stairs. The screen is closed but the door behind it is open. Four dogs are peering out behind the screen. Eric sees Alice and can hardly contain himself. He wiggles with joy. Zephyr sees Alice and Terry and begins vocalizing. A soft melodious woofing that finally evolves into full blown baying.

Stanley comes to the door. “Give me a minute. Let me get a lead on Zephbefore I open the door.”

Alice and Terry wait quietly while Stanley puts a leash on Zephyr. Alice takes Terry’s hand.

Stanley opens the door. Zephyr flops over on his side, puts his feet in the air, waves his feet, rolls back on his side looks up at Alice. Alice says to Zephyr, “You know that didn’t work on me before.”

Eric is wiggling happily at Alice’s feet. She reaches down and scratches his head. Zephyr stands up walks over to Alice, puts his head under her hand and nods his head up and down.”

Alice stops scratching Eric, scratches Zephyr’s head. “Happy now?”

Zephyr leaves and returns with his dirty calico squirrel. Drops it at Alice’s feet. “I was hoping to see this mangy squirrel again.”

Stanley says, “Marty and I were just talking about your visit. You gonna try him on your boat.”

Alice goes over, gives Martin a hug a quick kiss on the check. Martin says, “Always count on a dog to bring the girls around.”

Stanley says, “Yeah, my dogs got me laid more times than I can count. I came down to pack up a few things for you for Zeph. Leash, food. His bowls.”

Terry says, “ Food we’ll take.Got bowls, some toys. Pee pads. We are going to try him on the boat. Not sailing. Yeah today just a visit. See how he likes it. See if he’ll stay onboard. Can’t have him just jumping in the water any old time he feels like it.”

Martin says, “Otterhounds are smart.” He pauses, swallows. “They are hard to train because they are stubborn.” (Pauses, swallow.)

Stanley says, “I have worked with him some. He stops when I whistle. And Martin worked with him a lot on search and rescue. He has to obey there or they can’t use him. And he loves tracking. He’ll do anything to be part of a search. He’s smart. As smart as Fritz. “  
  
Terry says, “Any suggestions for keeping him on the boat?”

” ~~Jump in with him on a lead. Say something first like “Jump” or “Water” first, swim with him on the lead then bring him back to the boat with you, he’ll follow the lead even in the water. Then say something like “Boat” repeat it all the way back.”~~

Stanley laughs, “If he jumps off just have Alice stand on side of the boat and tell him he’s a bad dog and to get back on the boat. Zephyr has a crush on Alice. He’ll have trouble resisting whatever Alice tells him to do.”

They load Zephyr into the car in the back. He immediately jumps into the back seat and puts his head on Alice’s shoulder. 

Zephyr smiles his Otterhound smile most of the all way back.


	12. Zephyr on the Boat and Nick has a Problem

Terry pulls into the parking lot of the marina where he has his boat. Zephyr sniffs the air. He has ridden most of the way with his head on Alice’s shoulder. He looks out the window, Terry rolls the window down part way. Zephyr puts his head out sniffs again, paws at the door.

Terry hands Alice Zephyr’s leash. She clips it on. Terry walks around to the passenger side of the car. Opens the door slowly, grabs Zephyr’s leash, opens the door wider. Zephyr jumps out, waits quietly by Terry. Alice gets out. Zephyr looks up at her but doesn’t move from Terry’s side.

Terry says, “Okay Zephyr, let’s see if you are gonna be a seagoing dog.”

They troop down the dock to Terry’s boat The Wonderland.

Terry says “Alice and Zephyr in Wonderland.”

Zephyr looks at Terry then Alice. Terry gives the leash to Alice jumps on the boat. Terry says “Boat.” “Come.” Terry looks at Zephyr.

Zephyr hesitates, then jumps on the boat. Alice hands the leash to Terry. Terry hands Alice onto the boat.

“Now what?”

Terry laughs, “Never introduced a dog to a boat before. I guess I should show him around. “

Zephyr puts his head down begins sniffing the boat deck. Goes to the bow, comes back. Alice has opened the hatch and gone below. Zephyr follows her down. Terry follows him.

“So far so good.”

“Let him off leash?”

“Not yet.”

Zephyr looks at Alice then then he settles down at Alice’s feet and puts his head on this paws.

"We can't just sit here with him."

"If we go sailing with him, if we take him to Hawaii, we might have to be below for days if the weather is bad. In the cabin I mean. 

"What about bathroom breaks?"

"I think we have to pick a place and put down a pee pad so he knows where it is okay to go. Should use the same place." 

"Did we bring a pee pad."

"Left them at home."

"Who cleans up?"

"Your dog, Alice."

"My dog?

"You okayed him. You kind of chose him."

"Okay, odd days you, Terry even days me. "

"Alice there are more odd days in the year than even."

"Okay fine I'll do odd days. It can't be that big a difference."

"Who feeds him? Even days, odd days?"

"You do morning, I do evenings. You are up early, Terry. You get up and make coffee must days."

Terry says, "Where does he sleep?"

"I guess we will see where he wants to sleep."

"Can he sleep in our bed?"

"Do You think he'll want to?"

"I'll call Martin ask him where he sleeps."

Terry gets his phone. Calls Martin. Puts the phone on speaker.

"Martin hi it's Terry. We have a couple of questions. Where does Zephyr usually sleep?"

Martin says slowly carefully, "My bed."

"Oh, okay. Has he ever used pee pads, been trained to use them? I was just wondering about on the boat."

Martin says, "Pee pads yes, okay. He knows."

Terry says, "Okay thanks, He's doing fine. We are on the boat now. He did fine in the car."

Martin says "Good. thank you."

Terry say, "Okay we're doing fine. We'll give you a call tomorrow. " 

Martin says, "Thank you bye."

"Okay Alice. You heard. Zeph's okay with a pee pad."

"And he sleeps with Martin. Will he want to sleep with us?"

"I wouldn't be surprised."

"Did I tell you the Hallberg-Rassy has a dishwasher and a washing machine. " 

"No dryer?"

"No dryer."

"Does it have a walk in shower?"

"No. Shower is the same basically as the one on this boat. Maybe a little stronger spray."

Alice sighs. “Do any boats have luxury bathrooms?"

"Most yachts. But not usually the kind of boats that can be sailed by one person."

Zephyr watches them, looks from one to the other as they talk but lies quietly at Alice's feet.

"Let's go top side."

Just as Terry starts up the stairs, his phone buzzes. It's a text message.

"Alice wait down here. I need to take this. I'll go up. You stay down here with Zephyr."

Alice nods, "Okay."

Terry goes to the bow. Punches a number. "Nick Hi. Your mother is below. She can't hear me. What's wrong?"

Nick tells Terry that one of the girls from the hotel in Las Vegas wants $100,000 or she is going to file a criminal complaint for rape against Noah. 

Nick says that Noah is scared and crying. 

Nick says, "She ripped her clothes and hit herself or let somebody hit her and she took pictures. Noah had sex with her but Terry you know Noah. He’s shy with girls. Noahs has til tomorrow to pay her. She has a boyfriend with a gun. They came here. They followed us here to Tahoe. The guy roughed Noah up a little. Noah’s embarrassed. He didn't want me to call you but I know he is glad I did. The boyfriend scares us Terry. He is pretty rough."

"Terry the girl I told you about she called me. She said she is sorry. I think she is nice. Not like her friend. She said she didn't know they were going to do this to us. Well not me just Noah. Noah feels bad, he says you already rescued him once." 

"Is Noah there?"

"He's right here."

"Noah, hey mate."

"I didn't do it Terry. I wouldn't do that to a girl."

"I know mate. I know you wouldn't."

"But she has pictures and she went to the hospital, she said. I can't tell my parents."

"I'll come. Noah. I'll straighten it out. Ill take care of it. I'll bring some friends. Where are you?"

"Glen Cove Hotel. It's nice. Not fancy. Just a lodge. Two stories. We are upstairs.

"They said til tomorrow? I'll be there before tomorrow. Okay. If they call you again just say you’ll get the money tomorrow. Just tell them again you have to go into the bank to withdraw the money. Don't leave the hotel. Call hotel security if the come again. 

“Terry it’s not that kind of place. Not like a Ritz Carleton or anything. They don’t have security.”

“Are you in your room now?”

”Yeah. Stay there til I come. Keep the door locked. Don't open the door to anyone til I come. Or Mike Gale comes. It will be about 4 or 5 hours. Just stay in. If they try to break into the room call the police. Yeah eat what is in the room. Don't order room service. You won't starve to death in a few hours. I'll call you back."

“Terry, they don’t have room service.”

“Stay in the room. Don’t open the door.” Terry hangs up.

Terry calls Mike Gale. “Mike, my stepson and a friend are up in Tahoe. The friend is being extorted by a uh uh sex worker. And her boyfriend. Yeah rape. Tore her clothes. Has a black eye. He had sex with her, says he didn't rape her. Wouldn’t hit her. I know the kid. He wouldn't rape anyone. Girl wants $100 grand. Has a boyfriend flashing a gun around. Nick's friend won some money playing poker. Kid's very bright, genius probably, devised some system. Won $500,000 in Vegas. Spent the night with her. I know the kid. It's a scam. Need to go up there. Who have we got? Yeah I'd like to take Jay. Sure both of you fine. Hasan and Jay. Might take a day or two. Okay just call me when you get to Tahoe. I'll go to the kids' hotel then we can stay at our lodge.

“I might take Alice. We have Zephyr with us. I hate to take Zephyr back, we just picked him up for our home visit. “

“Yeah leave now. Yeah. Sure bring everything. Never know. Might have some fun with it. Glen Cove Hotel. Two story place. No security. No room service. 

Terry dials his phone.

"Nick, Mike Gale is coming up. I’m coming too. He is driving separately. You remember him from the Christmas party. And Jay and Hasan will probably come. Yeah they were they too. They may get there before I do. We will be armed. Global has a place up there - a lodge. We will stay at the lodge. I may bring your mom up. We have the dog and I don't want her to stay alone with the dog. And I don’t want to take the time to take the dog back to Martinez. It's a little too soon for her to be alone with him. He takes off and I think it is best to have two of us with him for now. And we don't want to bring him back so soon. So I'm going to bring your mom and the dog. I'm going to need to tell your mom about the extortion. She'll be cool, Nick, I know it's embarrassing. But we'll tell her as little as possible. "

Nick says, "Okay. Yeah okay."

Terry hangs up goes below.

"Alice sit down."

"Terry, I am sitting down." She is sitting at the table in the cabin of the boat. What is it? Something bad? Do you have to go somewhere? Leave?"

"It is something bad. I could go by myself and we could take Zephyr back to Martin. Or I can take you with me. And Zephyr."

"Take me? And Zephyr? Where? What is this about?"

"You have to not judge. Can you do that?"

" I don't know. What is it? Maybe I'll judge. What Terry? Just say it. “

"Alice, Nick and Noah you know they are young men. And Jenna broke-up with Nick."

"Terry, what is it?"

"After Nick won the money, Nick and Noah were approached by some uh sex workers and they spent some time with them."

"Nick did?"

"They both did. But it was a set up. The girl that was with Noah says she is going to turn him in to the police for rape if he doesn't pay her $100,000."

"No?"

"Yes."

"She tore her clothes, hit herself, gave herself some bruises. Or had the boyfriend hit her. Took pictures, claims she went to the hospital. Got a rape kit done. Told the hospital she didn't remember who did it. But if Noah doesn't pay she will ID him. " 

"Can you help them Terry?"

"Yes. I need to go up there. I want you and Zephyr to come with me. Global has a nice lodge up there. Wanted to show you the lodge anyway. You can stay there, we can stay there. You and me and Zephyr. 

"It is a little awkward for me to come."

"Just don't question Nick and Noah about it. I told Nick I was going to ask you to come and I'd have to tell you what was going on and you would be cool."

"I'm cool. It is his business, he's 21. I guess. I mean I don't know how I feel about it. Do you have an opinion? Terry? About it? About doing that?"

"Let's discuss it later. "

"You think it is okay Terry. I can tell."

"It's risky. Like what happened. Sometimes it's risky. I think it is risky."

"You think it is basically okay. Morally okay. "

"I have things to do now. I need to lock up the boat. I need to go by the house get a few things." 

"Do you want to go? Bring Zephyr?"

"Yeah. I want to go. It's a little awkward but I want to go. And Zephyr wants to go too."

"He does? Zephyr wants to go? How do you know?"

"We read each other’s thoughts. " 

"Okay, well that settles it. And I need to let Martin know what we are doing."

"Are you going to tell Dino?"

"Yeah. I'll call him from the car. Mike Gale is going up. He'll meet me there. Maybe Jay and Hasan. We'll get it sorted out."

"Are they, Nick and Noah, are they in danger?"

"We’ll be there soon. They’ll be okay til we get there. Okay til tomorrow. I’ll take care of it. "

to be continued.


	13. Tahoe

Terry and Alice are on the road to Tahoe. They are climbing. There are tall trees on each side of the road. Snow has been plowed, the road is clear and dry but there are 2-3 foot snow banks on the sides of the road. Terry has put the back seat down and Zephyr is curled up sleeping in the back.

Terry’s phone is paired to the car. Mike Gale calls. 

“Yeah Mike. Where are you?

”Parking lot of their hotel.”

”Okay. What are you wearing?”

”I met the kid. He should recognize me.”

”Ever hear of prosopagnosia?”

“Face blindness?”

“Does Alice’s kid have that?”

”Alice is sitting right here, mate.”

“Hi Alice.”

”Hi Mike.”

“Sorry Alice. Does you son have that?”

Terry answers, “He only met you once Mike, and he met a lot of people that night.”

“I played pool with him. He’s not bad. Been tutoring him Terry?”

“Might have given him a few tips. Just tell me what you are wearing.”

“I have on a brown jacket, it’s leather, jeans, black canvas boots, a golf cap.

“Mike you know when people are scared...”

“Fuck it, uh sorry Alice. Terry the kid uh Nick will recognize me.”

“We are an hour or so away. They said the place doesn’t have room service. They are probably hungry. You can take them out to get some food. They will feel better if they eat. Just stay with them. Have them tell you everything from the time they were approached to the boyfriend with the gun. It will be easier for them to talk to you than me or me with Alice there. See if they have any pictures of the girls or the boyfriend.”

“Hey Terry, sounds like the kid could use a tutorial in ladies of the evening. Falling down of the stepfather duties are we?”

”Bye Mike. Call me when you are in the room.”

Terry clicks off.

Terry sends Mike Nick’s number. Then calls Nick and tells him that Mike is in the parking lot and will call from just outside the door. Terry tells Nick what Mike is wearing and that Mike Gale will stay with them until Terry gets there. Tellls Nick when Mike is there they can go out with Mike for some food. Terry says they should eat something.

Alice looks at Terry. Zephyr opens his eyes. “A tutorial on ladies of the evening? I’d like to hear that tutorial”

“Why? Do you plan on spending an evening with a lady of the evening?”

Alice says back, “No, but I’ll bet you have.”

”Alice, when we get there, I’m going to need to go in and talk to Nick and Noah. I don’t want to leave you in the car, so you and Zeph will have to come in with me. Don’t ask the boys any questions. Just be motherly and concerned.”

”I think I know how to act around my own son.”

”This would be an unusual circumstance for most mothers.”

”I’ll be fine. I’ll ask them if they are eating their vegetables and are they remembering to brush their teeth. And floss.”

Zephur opens his eyes again. Lifts his head up. Looks at Alice then Terry.

Terry glances in the rear view mirror. “You’re upsetting the dog.”

“No, you are upsetting the dog.”


	14. Chapter 14

Terry pulls into the parking lot of the hotel. He gets out. Alice and Zephyr wait in the car. Terry goes to the back. Opens the hatch. Takes a gun out of his bag, puts it in his back waistband. He puts on a leather jacket. Alice has turned around in the seat, watching him.  
“Terry, what did you get out of your bag? Did you get a gun? Did you?”  
Terry says, “Put the lead on Zeph.”  
Alice does. Terry opens the door a little way. Gets Zephyr by the collar then takes his lead.l Terry opens the door all the way. Zephyr jumps out, stands quietly next to Terry. Terry opens the door for Alice.  
“I can open my own door.”  
She gets out.  
“Just my way of saying I love you, Alice.” Terry looks down at Zephyr.  
“He’s well-mannered on the leash.”  
“Terry turn around. Let me see your waist band. Why do you have a gun?”  
“Alice, you have to trust me to handle this. Do this my way.”  
“A gun?”  
“Alice, I have a gun. Mike will have a gun. Noah was threatened by someone with a gun. Let’s go.”  
Terry calls Mike. “We’re here. Don’t want to leave Alice in the car. Bringing her and Zephyr up.”

Zephyr and Alice and Terry go up the steps to the second floor. Find the room. Knock on the door. Mike opens it. “We haven’t been out. Been talking. Got a couple of hungry fellows here.

Noah is sitting on one of the beds hanging his head. He doesn’t look up. Nick is sitting at the table under the window. “Hi Mom. Hi Terry. Thanks for coming. I’m sorry about this Mom. Is that Zephyr? He’s big.”

Zephyr pulls on the leash. He wants to sniff Nick and Noah. Noah looks up, hold out his hand. Zephyr sniffs Noah’s hand, his pant legs, sleeves, then does the same to Nick. He looks from Nick to Alice.

“Mom, do you think he knows we are related? Do you think we smell the same.”

Alice says, “Maybe. Could be. Let’s get something to eat. What is still open?”

“Only the Jack in the Box. They are 24 hours.

Noah says, “They have good tacos. My mom eats their Fijita pita, Mrs Thorne. I’m sorry Mrs. Thorne. “

“Mike, why don’t you and I go pick up some food for everyone and Terry can stay here and get caught up.”

Noah looks miserable but nods. “Could you leave the dog?”

Terry says. “The dog stays.”

Alice takes orders. “I’ll get Zephyr a plain cheese burger. “

Mike says, “Zeph might need two. Cheeseburgers.”

Alice and Mike leave. Zephyr looks at the bed where Noah is, looks at Terry.

Terry nods, “Okay.”

Zephyr jumps on the bed. Noah scoots back, starts petting Zephyr.

“Okay let’s hear it.”

Nick starts, “ I told you some. After Noah won, we went to eat. Inside the hotel where the tournament was. These girls came up. Asked if they could join us. We said sure. They were real good looking. They were dressed normal. Not like you would think. They talked to us. Where were we from. What did we do. I told them we were students, that I was into climbing. Noah told them about magic. They told us their names. Ava and Brandy. When we finished, they asked where we were staying. Ava said they would like to see our rooms. We said okay. When we were in the elevator Brandy kissed me. ”

Noah looks down, “I haven’t had sex since Sarah died. Ava said she was attracted to me. Liked it that I knew magic. It sounded nice so I had sex with her. She said she had sex for money. I didn’t mind paying her. She knew a lot about sex. Then the next day, Nick called Brandy. Nick wanted to have sex with her again. I wanted to have sex again too. We had plenty of money. Nick said to come back and bring Ava, but Ava didn’t come. Brandy said Ava was sorry she was busy. Nick saw Brandy that night then we came up here. Nick told Brandy where we were staying.“

Zephyr rolls on his back. Stretches out. He is the length of the bed. Noah scratches him on the chest and stomach. Zephyr moans with pleasure.

Noah says, “He likes this.”

Terry looks at Noah and Zephyr. “Maybe you should stick with dogs.”

Nick says, “We were tricked.”

Terry says, “Not called tricks for nothing.”

Nick says, “She asked me. Brandy. Where are you going? She said she might come up here. She said she liked me and she’d like to see me again. She is part of it.”

Terry says, “They planned it.”

“We checked in here and then this guy came to the door with Ava. Wanted to talk to Noah. Ava looked terrible. She had a black eye, and bruises.”

Noah says, “He had pictures of Ava on his phone. Her clothes were torn. He said Ava was going to the police and report me for raping her if I didn’t give him $100,000. He said she had gone to a hospital and had a rape kit done so there was a record. He said the money was a small part of the $500,000 I won. He had a gun. He said he would kill us if we went to the police. I said no. He slapped me then hit me in the stomach."

“He said Noah had 24 hours to get the money. And they left. And Brandy called me and said she was sorry, that she didn’t know they were going to do that. Brandy said Ava’s boyfriend is mean, sometimes he hits her. Ava and Brandy are both afraid of him. Ava does what he wants. She said Ava’s boyfriend had killed people and just to do what he said.”

Terry says, “What is supposed to happen next?”

Nick says, “Noah told them he’d go to the bank. He told the guy, we don’t know his name, he has a scar on his cheek. We call him Scarface, we told Scarface that it is a lot of money to withdraw and it might be a problem.”

“Scarface said it’s Noah’s money they have to give it to him. He says he knows and he’s done this before. He said when Noah has the money to call Brandy. He said he’ll be watching us.”

“The only contact information you have is Brandy?”

”Yeah, just her cell number.”


	15. Chapter 15

Alice and Mike come in with bags of Jack in the Box.  
Alice hands out the food. Zephyr jumps off the bed. Looks up at Alice expectantly.  
Nick and Noah start with the tacos. “These are so good. Thanks Mom.”  
“Terry’s treat.”  
Alice says to Zephyr, “We got you two cheeseburgers. But you will probably eat them in one gulp.”  
Alice tears one of the cheese burgers into fourths. Zephyr gulps each fourth down then looks at Alice expectantly.  
There is a knock at the door.  
Both Terry and Mike draw their guns, hold them down at their sides.  
Zephyr looks at Terry, looks at the door, begins growling. He moves to Terry’s side.  
“Who is it?”  
“It’s Jay.”  
Mike opens the door.“You don’t fucking call first?”  
Hasan, McKenzie and Jay are standing there.  
Mike says sarcastically, “How nice, the gang’s all here.”  
McKenzie covers her mouth. “Bathroom?”  
Nick points.  
McKenzie rushes into the bathroom, shuts the door.They can hear her vomiting.  
Hasan says “Smell of fast food sets her off. Not just morning sickness. Any time of the day sickness. Different smells get to her. Anything with mustard.”  
Jay says, “Samira hated lavender. Who hates lavender?”  
Jay looks at Zephyr. Extends his hand. “Nice dog. A little scruffy. Mike’s friend’s dog?”  
“Yeah. The Otterhound. Zephyr.”  
Zephyr sniffs Jay then Hasan.  
Alice goes to the bathroom door.  
“McKenzie are you okay?”  
McKenzie’s answer is muffled though the door, “I’m fine. Be out in a minute.”  
Noah says, “Is she pregnant? Morning sickness, is that what you mean?”

Hasan nods. “Yes she’s pregnant. Pregnant with my child.”

McKenzie comes out. She is pale. “Fast food. Smell of fast food.

Zephyr walks over to McKenzie. Her jeans are a little tight across her belly. Zephyr slowly deliberately sniffs her belly. Looks over at Hasan. Sniffs again then carefully licks her belly a twice.

Alice says, “Zephyr is saying hi to your baby, McKenzie. I’m glad you are here. Terry and I are going to stay at a lodge here that Global owns. I’ve been up all night. Maybe you would come with me and go on up to the lodge. It takes two to handle Zephyr. He can bolt. We could stop at a market, maybe there is a Trader Joe’s here. We could get some food. Does anything taste good Mckenzie?

“Oatmeal and onion soup.”

Hasan says, “Not together.”

Terry sighs, “McKenzie, what are you doing here? Mike, what is she doing here?”

Mike shrugs.   
  
McKenzie says, “I’m part of the team. Hasan and Jay said I could come.”

Terry looks at Mckenzie. “Not their call.”

“Terry, I can help.”

“McKenzie you don’t know what we are doing. I don’t even know what we are doing yet.”

“Go with Alice to the lodge. Take Zephyr. You two keep him on leash at all times outside the house. Don’t take his collar off. If he gets away no telling where he will go. Only way to identify him. Don’t open the door unless you have him on leash.”

“Terry, I’m sure he’s chipped. I want to go to the lodge now. Nick, Noah, Terry and these other men will figure this out. Please come with me, McKenzie. I’m so tired. I want to go to sleep. Terry doesn’t want me take Zephyr alone.”

Hasan nods. “Please go with Alice.”

McKenzie says, “I’m kind of tired too. And if I have to keep smelling Jack in the Box, I’m going to be back in the bathroom.”

Noah says, “Uh Terry, could the dog stay? I like having him here.”

“You’ll see a lot of him Noah, we are adopting him. We need to let him go with Alice and McKenzie for now.”

Alice gives Nick a kiss on the cheek gives Noah a hug says Terry will take care of things. Nick and Noah nod. 

Terry puts the lead on Zephyr and he, Alice and McKenzie go down to the car.

“Hold on to him. He’ll bolt if he gets a chance. He’s well mannered on the leash.”

“Terry, we got it. I understand. Really.” 

Terry puts Zephyr in the back. Zephyr lies down and curls up. Terry opens the door for McKenzie. Alice waits by the driver’s door. Terry walks to Alice kisses her. “You did great, Alice.”

Terry opens the driver’s door. Alice’s gets in, rolls down her window. “You’ll take good care of Nick won’t you? When are you coming to the lodge?”

“I’ll take very good care of Nick. And Noah. I put the directions to the lodge in your phone and the code for the front door. I don’t know when I’ll be coming. Maybe later today, maybe not till tomorrow. “Call me when you get to the lodge.” He kisses her again through the window. Alice rolls up her window and drives away.


	16. Chapter 16

When Terry comes back up to the room, Nick is sitting on the other bed, leaning against the headboard. Jay and Hasan are at the table. Mike is standing by the closet.  
Nick looks at Terry. “Terry, it’s just one guy. Do you need all these people?”  
Terry laughs. “Overwhelming force, mate.”  
“What are you going to do?”  
“What would you like us to do, Nick?  
“Make him go away. Stop doing this. Make him and Ava stop this.”  
“Noah, what do you want?”  
“Same as Nick. But jail. They spoiled things. The sex was nice and my system worked, we were having fun. Ava ruined it. And Scarface ruined it. ~~He hit me and slapped me.”~~

~~“Mike see if they have a couple of rooms here.”~~

~~Mike nods and leaves~~.

Terrys phone buzzes. “Hey Dino. Up at Tahoe. Wish you were here mate. Gonna have a little fun with an extortionist. Mike and Hasan and Jay are with me. McKenzie came too. I know what you said Dino. She’s gone to the lodge with Alice and my new dog. Yeah we're going to take him. Nick and Noah by a a sex worker and her boyfriend. Yeah well they are called sex workers now. Sorry can’t wait, you’ll have to miss this one. You and Mac gotta finish up with St Augustine. Yeah maybe something similar to Dellums. Hood, recorded confession. Wish we had the van. Yeah, see you.”

“Dino wishes he were here.”

Noah says, “Captain Thorne, thank you for coming. I’m sorry I need help again.”

“Not a problem, mate. This is part of what we do, Noah. The company I own with Dino. We take care of bad guys. And we don’t have to follow the same rules as police or soldiers. No Miranda rights. No Geneva Convention. And a guy like your extortionist, he probably hasn’t ever dealt with anyone like us. Even if he was military. We are going to surprise him.”

“What about the girls?”  
  
“What do you want to have happen?”

“I want them to say sorry and not do it again. And I want to do something about the pictures. Make them disappear.”

“How would you like them all three of them to confess to the extortion while we recorded them.”

”Yeah that would be good.”

“To do that we have to collect them, hold them for a day or two.

“Collect them?”

“Have them in our custody”

”Oh.

”Kidnap them?

”Collect them.”

~~Mike comes back. “Two rooms. This floor.” He puts keys on the table.~~

“They may not contact you til they think you have the money. You and Nick will drive to the bank. We’ll follow in separate cars. We’ll come into the bank after you. Come in separately. We’ll stay with you. We’ll watch. If Scarface approaches you there, we’ll collect him. If he doesn’t, just drive back here. We’ll follow.”

“Do you think they know you are here?”

“Maybe. May know someone is here.” 

~~It’s 0800. We could use some sleep. I’d like to see my wife. Hasan would as well.~~

~~Not my wife yet. Just the pregnant mother of my child.~~

~~Hasan and I are going over to the lodge for awhile. Noah you stay here. Jay will stay here with you. I don’t want you to be alone if Scarface comes back and brings a friend. Mike and Jay will take Jay’s room.~~

“If they ask who the guys with you are, say they are some climbing friends of Nick’s.   
  
“What is the rest of the plan Terry?”

“It’s evolving.”

“Nicks phone chimes. “  
  
“It’s Brandy. “  
  
“Don’t answer.”  
  
“Don’t?”

“Let’s up their anxiety a little.”  
  
Then Jay’s phone sounds a different chime. “It’s a text message. It says “Where are you? Call me.”

“Wait a few minutes. Call, hang-up, make her think the call is dropped.”

“Nick waits. Calls again, hangs up before Brandy answers.

"Okay wait five minutes, call her again tell her Nick is worried that Ava is going to keep on blackmailing him. That it will never end. He is thinking of just going to the police. Tell Brandy, Noah is saying maybe he should call the police and have them pick him up. And say Noah has told you maybe he should spend the $100,000 bail and a lawyer to defend himself. He is saying that would probably be better.”

Nick calls Brandy back. Nick puts her on speaker. Tells her Noah is thinking of just going to the police.  
  
“No no. Don’t do that. He would go to jail. He won all that money. It’s only part of it.”

“Brandy he has no record. He’ll claim it’s extortion. He’ll get Ava and the boyfriend in court under oath. I’ll bet Ava’s boyfriend has a record. And Noah could get bailed out.”

“No no. She won’t come back for more. They’ll delete the pictures. It will be okay.”

“You seemed nice, how did you get involved with this?

“Ava’s my cousin. Greg is her boyfriend. Since high school. They need money.”  
  



	17. Chapter 17

  
Mike says, “What do you want to do,Terry?”  
“Gotta work backwards from our goal.”  
Jay says “So what’s our goal?”  
Terry says, “Scarface learns a lesson. Never bothers Nick and Noah again. Or anyone else with this extortion thing. Finds another way to make money. Learns to keep his hands off women and girls. ”  
Hasan says, “And the girls?”  
Nick says, "They are part of it. It is all three of them.”  
“Not sure about the girls. Ava lets the boyfriend beat her up.”  
“For profit, to extort us.”  
“This is a big payday for some 20 something high school drop outs.”  
“You think someone else might be involved?”  
“Possible. No evidence so far.”  
“Let’s the bank done and then have Nick call Brandy.”  
“Then?”  
“Maybe a nice little rendition, hood and all the trimmings.”  
“Scare him?”  
“Half to death.”  
Hasan asks, “You want to take all three?”  
“Maybe just him. ”  
Hasan says, “Terry holding prisoners is a pain.”  
“I know.”


	18. Noah goes to the bank and the meeting

Noah’s bank, one of them, is American National. Tahoe has a small branch. Typical Tahoe architecture. Pointed roof, one rock wall, fireplace, big glass windows. Jay drives there by himself. Noah and Nick drive in together. Jay parks, goes in. Nick and Noah follow him in. Jay ignores them. He gets a deposit slip, starts filing it out, then picks up his phone and seems to begin an animated conversation. Mike and Terry drop off Hasan and drive on. Hasan walks in, goes to the ATM machine, takes out his wallet, appears to look for his ATM card. Steps away from the ATM. Nick goes to a counter, withdraws $10,000. Noah puts it in his back pack. He and Nick go over to a seating area, a couch and two arm chairs, end tables. They sit down, put the back pack on the floor between them. Hasan takes one of the other chairs begins removing things from his wallet systematically, as if looking for his ATM card. Jay stands nearby, he continues talking animatedly into his phone, ignoring Hasan and Nick and Noah.

Nick calls Brandy. Holds the phone between him and Noah. He has the phone on speaker.  
“We have the money.”  
“You do? You have it? All of it?”  
“Yeah. Noah got it. It’s his money. People gamble up here, take out money to gamble with. It wasn’t a problem. Now what?”  
“Boyd, Ava’s boyfriend wants to know who those people were.”  
“What people?”  
“He was watching your hotel room last night, for a while, he said there were people there?”  
“Some of the people I know from the climbing club. They are up here to do some ice climbing.  
“A woman and a dog he said. Two women, he said.”  
“Yeah she’s the wife of the president of the club. They are wives of climbers. They’re going to a lodge up here.”  
“You didn’t tell them anything?”  
“Of course not. It’s too embarrassing.”  
“Nick I really like you. I mean I would have gone out with you if I’d met you.”  
“Yeah, let’s get this over with. What does Boyd want us to do now?”  
“He wants you to meet him at Summit Point.”  
“Where is Summit Point?”  
“From the bank go back down to Lakeshore Drive, Summit road is right past the sign that says “Entering Nevada". Just turn there well turn right,” she giggles, “ I mean if you turn left you’ll end up in the lake. Drive to the end of the road there. It’s up. Takes you up the mountain. The road is clear. There’s a big parking lot. It’s national forest all around it. Boyd will meet you there. In the parking lot. He has an old red Toyota. paint is faded. ”  
“Are you going to be there?”  
“No. Boyd doesn’t want me or Ava there. There might be a guy with him. His brother Corky. They won’t hurt you or anything. They just want the money.”  
“How much is your share?”  
“No nothing. I’m not part of it. I just don’t want him to hurt Ava any more.”  
“Has he done this before, Brandy?”  
“A few times. Not so much money. Usually older guys.”  
“Noah wants to see Ava. He wants her to say he didn’t do it and he wants to record it on his phone. He’ll give Boyd the money, but in exchange he wants a record so you don’t come back for more. “  
“She won’t do that. Boyd wouldn’t let her do that.”  
“Noah says for her to buy a phone, and record that, use the camera, like a selfie, say on camera that he didn’t do it. We’ll bring the money, Boyd brings the phone. We give you the money, you give us the phone with Ava saying there was no rape. And Ava needs to be there. If Noah doesn’t like the recording she’ll have to do it again. “  
“They won’t do that.”  
“Then we’ll take our chances with the police.”  
“No wait, I’ll ask them. I’ll call you back. Where are you going to be.”  
Hasan has been listening. Has put the things back in his wallet while Nick has been talking. Nick looks at Hasan questioningly. Hasan shakes his head.  
“I don’t know. Call us back. I’ll keep my phone handy.”

Hasan takes out his phone, begins texting to Nick.

“Just go outside now. Go back to the hotel. We’ll be in touch with you there.”

Jay ends his phone call and walks out. Shaking his head. Nick and Noah walk out shortly after Jay. Hasan opens his wallet again takes out a card goes over to the ATM, uses the card withdraws some cash. Nick and Noah get in the car, drive back to the hotel. Jay gets his car, Hasan walks out walks away down the road. Jay starts the car drives a little ways. He pulls over as if offering a stranger a ride. Hasan gets in. Calls Nick and Terry from the car. 

“Nick, Terry is on the line.”

”How ya doing boys”

Noah says, “Okay so far.”

Terry says, “Noah I want you and Nick to go get something to eat in a café. Take your time over the food. Drag it out. There’s a place on Lakeshore on the way to Summit Road. I need a little time to check out the meeting place. Don't answer Brandy's calls or texts til I tell you. ”

Noah says okay. They find the café, it’s on the water side they go in and order. Shortly after they enter, Mike comes in sits at a table orders. He texts them, "Over you shoulder. Hi. We’ll have some one with you. From here on. We don’t think they are watching but just to be sure."

Nick texts, “Thanks”.

Terry and Hasan and Jay drive up go up to the lodge in separate cars.

Alice and McKenzie are in the kitchen sitting, talking. Alice has coffee, McKenzie has tea.

Zephyr is lying down at Alice's feet. He jumps up and greets Jay and Terry and Hasan with woofs then full baying.

Terry says, "Zeph's song of pleasure."

Hasan says, "He's tough not to like."

Alice says, "You guys hungry?"

Terry laughs, " Yeah, Jay will whip-up something."

"We have fruit, oatmeal, scones."

Alice gets up, begins putting food on the table. 

Terry says, "We need to go up there check it out."

Mike, Jay and Hasan come down. They are all armed. 

Alice says, "You have guns."

"We do. Yes. But we don t have hand grenades."

Jay and Hasan laugh. 

Terry, Mike, Hasan and Jay drive up to Summit Point. They circle the parking lot. There are several cars there. People loading and unloading from cars. Back packs, skis. Preparing for cross country skiing. Some hikers. 

"Set up here, interrupt the meeting? Set it for late in the day. Most of these folks will be gone by then I imagine. "

"Collect them at the meeting."

"Girls too?"

"No. Maybe brother Corky?"

"Kidnapping is illegal."

"Collecting is not."

Hasan says, "A rose by any other name."

Terry asks, "Nursery rhyme?"

Hasan shakes his head. "Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet. Romeo lamenting that Juliet is a Montague. That her name is Montague. 

_It is nor hand, nor foot,_  
_Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part_  
_Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!_  
_What’s in a name? That which we call a rose_  
_By any other name would smell as sweet;_

"How do you want to do this Shakespeare."

"Well we need to as you say collect them. I think the lodge would be the best place to take them but Alice is there.

And McKenzie.

McKenzie would be fine Terry but I am not sure Alice would be okay with what we have to do.

What do we have to do?

We have to create the circumstances in which there is an epiphany for Nick and Noah's new friends.

Send Alice home.

Can't just brought her up here. Can't send her home with Zephyr. Too soon.

Send her to the Ritz Carleton.

They won't take Zephyr.

Well Terry what did you think we were going to do.

I figured a plan would emerge. 

We need a separate place to uh create the environment for an epiphany.

And we need it soon. 

Alice would have to stay out of the way. 

“We come up here. Park. Look like backpackers or cross country skiers. When the exchange begins we walk over as if we need something. Put the hood up on one of the cars. We take them down. Put them in the trunks. Bring them back to the lodge. McKenzie keeps Alice upstairs. We put hoods on them. I still have that little device Dino used in Lahore.”

"That was fun."

“We interview them. Get to know them. Make a decision about disposition once we get to know them.”

Terry phone buzzes.

It's Nick. "Hi Nick."

“Brandy is blowing up my phone. I am not answering but she is texting and calling.”

Terry says, "No problem. We are going to take Boyd and Corky. Not the girls."

"Tell Brandy you will meet them at four this afternoon at Summit Point. And they better bring a confession from Ava. No deal without it. "

"Are you going to go with us."

"We'll be there. Mike will follow you up. Just do something until about quarter of four, then drive up the mountain. We'll take it from there. Get out of the car. Bring the backpack.

“Okay. Terry, I'm sorry about this.”

"Not a problem mate.”

Hasan says, “Terry I think Alice needs to go home now. I can send KcKenzie with her. They can take the dog to your place. The boys should go home too. They should all go home. Deniability. We need the lodge. We can drive them around for awhile but Alice and the boys should go, now, Terry.

“Okay.”

* 

Terry calls Mckenzie. “Mary-Margaret, want you to take my wife and my dog home. Want you to stay there with her til we finish up here.We are going to need the lodge for a day or two. Can’t have Alice there. Boys should go home too.

McKenzie say, “I don’t think she is gonna want to go.

Terry says, “She’ll go. She won’t like it.But I’ll tell her Nick and Noah are going home too.”

“Okay, Terry. You’re the boss.”

“I am the boss.”

“Terry calls Alice. “I’m going to have you take Mckenzie and Zephyr home. To our place. Our car is at still at the lodge. I’m going to send the boys home too. I need the lodge to take care of this and you can’t be there.”

“Are you sure, I’d like to stay.”

“Alice I’m sure. Need you not to be there.” 

“okay. Mackenzie and I and Zephyr?”

“Yeah. Want you to go home.” 

“I’ll be no trouble, Terry.”

”Need you to go home Alice.”

“When?

“Now. I’ll call Mckenzie. I’m going to send the boys home too.”

“okay.”

“Terry, what are you going to do?”

“Plan is evolving.”

“will you tell me after”

“if I can. If there is no risk to you or the boys.”

“Okay. Terry, thank you. Your a good dad.”

Terry smiles. “The best.”

“I’ll call when we are on the road. We’ll leave soon. Within the hour.”

“Good, Alice.”

“ I love you Terry.”

“I like it when you say it.”

*

Terry and Mike drive up to Summit Point. Park in the parking lot. Terry and Mike take cross country skis off the top of their car. At another car Hasan and Jay have the hood up, they are looking at the motor. No one else is there.

Two men in a Honda sedan with peeling reddish paint drive into the lot. They sit in the car waiting.

Nick and Noah drive in, park a little ways from the reddish car. Nick calls Terry. 

Noah says to Terry the one in the driver’s seat is Boyd.

"Okay."

Nick and Noah get out. Noah has the back pack. Boyd and the other man get out.

"You were supposed to bring Ava. My friend Noah here needs her to make a video.”

Boyd says, "She was busy. Give me damn back pack."

Boyd holds the gun on Noah.

“Give me the money.”

Noah hesitates.

"You want me to punch you again? Or shoot you both?”

Terry walks up puts his hand on Boyd's arm. "I wouldn't if I were you, mate."

"Who are you?"

"Family friend."

"You don't scare me old man."

"I should."

"Yeah. Why?"

“Because I know a lot of things you don't.”

Boyd grabs the back pack.

Jay and Mike and Hasan move quickly. Hasan gets Boyd around the neck, puts a thumb on his carotid and Boyd slumps.

The other man screams, Mike sweeps his feet around from under him. Jay moves over, kneels on him, holds him down on the ground.

Noah and Nick stand quietly.

Hasan and Jay tie their hands with plastic ties. They put hoods over the men's heads. Terry and Mike put Boyd in the their trunk. Hasan and Jay put the other man in their trunk.

Noah says, "What are you doing?

"We are going to educate your friends."

"In hoods?”

Hasan, "We like hoods. Simplifies things."

Noah says" "Now what?" 

“Well, we take them to the lodge and we uh reeducate them.”

Terry motions to the boys. They walk a little way away. “Need you boys to go home now. Do those guys have your addresses? Or the girls?”

”Maybe. We were pretty open. But I didn’t give her my address. You Noah?”

”No.”

“Block them on your phones. If they call using different numbers hang up. Better yet don’t answer calls from unknown numbers. One of my people is going to stay at Nick’s til we are finished. Can you stay there too, Noah.”

“Sure my parents won’t worry if I’m at Nick’s.” 

“Uh Terry, is it Mckenzie? You know she is nice but she didn’t protect my mom last time. “

“I know. She’s ex fbi. She will do a good job. This time. Don’t worry.”

“ Is there someone else we could get?”

“Like who? Jenna?”

“Well, she was an Army Ranger.”

“I’ll get an operative over, somebody to be outside Nick.”

“If you think McKenzie is okay, it’s be okay.”

“Okay, Nick, go, get your stuff, check out, then go home. Block the girls. Do it now. 

“Okay.”/p>

Noah and Nick drive away.

*


	19. Chapter 19

Terry, Mike, Jay and Hasan walk back over to the cars. There is a thumping sound from Mike’s car’s trunk.

Mike says, “What? He’s banging his head on the trunk lid. Man, you can’t get decent cooperation anymore. How long does Alice need man.”

Terry says, “Hey Jay you want to cook tonight?”

Jay says, “Sure. But I haven’t shopped. Don’t know what’s there.”

Terry says, “Never mind. Let’s pick up pizza. No pineapple. But half with anchovies. Cesar salad. Order it now. By the time it’s ready and we drive back, Alice will be on the road. “  
  
The bumping begins again.

Terry says, “Dr. Meghwar, if you wouldn’t mind. I’d like quiet. Both if you please.“

Terry reaches in Mike’s car, releases the trunk lid. Boyd struggles to sit up. Terry pushes him down. Hasan goes over to Jay’s car, takes a syringe out of a bag. Fills it from a bottle he takes from the same bag. He goes to Mikes car, takes off Boyd’s shoe then his sock, Separates his toes and injects him between the toes. Boyd slumps almost immediately.

Jay opens his trunk and Hasan does the same to the man in Jay’s car. 

Terry says, “Quiet enough now.”

Hasan puts the syringes back in the bag.

Jay says, “I ordered one deep dish, with everything, no pineapple but half with anchovies. A thin crusts with mushroom and sausage extra cheese. Salads Cesar and garden. Plenty for our guests. 45 minutes.

Terry’s phone rings. “Hey Alice. Yeah okay sweetheart. I’ll thank them. A day or two I think. I’ll call you tomorrow. Nick and Noah are coming home, going to stay at our place til I’m done with these fellows. Yeah Alice, you know I do.”

He hangs up.

“Alice and McKenzie are leaving in 10 minutes. Our guests are going to be quiet for how long Hasan?”

“Six hours.”

“We’ll pick up the pizza. Some beer? Wine?”

Jay says, “Not for me.”

Hasan says, “Beer.”

“Okay, I’ll get pizza and beer and wine. Jay, you and Hasan take your guest back. Mike, let’s search their car and then drive it off the off the road somewhere. I’ll follow til you find a good place.

”Sure.”

“The porch? Like Dellums? Or in a room. There are some basement rooms. Used as cellars. Cement floors. No windows.”

“I like a cellar. Yeah. Cellar it is.”

*

They are sitting around the kitchen table. Terry got a couple of bottles of Chianti a couple of 6 packs of beer. Terry and Mike have Chianti, Hasan has beer. Two of the pizzas are on the table in front of them. Half-eaten.

Also on the table, are two wallets, three cell phones, several dirty pieces of paper. One of the cell phones buzzes. Terry picks it up. “Yeah.”

“Who is this?”

“Friend of a friend.”

“Is Boyd there?

“Might be. Describe him.”

“Why are you answering his phone?”

“It was buzzing.”

“I want to talk to Boyd.”

“He can’t talk just now. Can I take a message.”

“Uh have him call Brandy.”

“Uh, can you spell that?”

She hangs up.

Laughter.

Hasan says, “We gonna feed them? Toilet? If they make a mess, it’s just us to clean up. I hate this shit. We could just kill them. Probably make the world a better place. Take them back to Las Vegas bury them in the desert. No mess that way. You could bring in Iz Terry. He’d do it.”

“Yeah? You want Iz to join us?”

“McKenzie's pregnant. He’ll leave her to me now.”

Terry says, “Okay, hearts and minds. I want a change, here.”

Hasan says, “Can’t make a rabbit bark.”

Mike says, “Terry, I think we ought to get to know them.”

“Okay. Let’s start with the brother or cousin. Lets get to know him.”

“Dressed? Undressed? Let him use a bathroom, no bathroom, let him soil himself?”

“Undressed, scary for him. No bathroom, no food, no water. Keep, him tied, keep the hood on. Put some plastic under the chair. He’s going to be scared. Hands tied to the chair. Take the tape off his mouth in the chair. Mike get the curtains.

Terry says, “Do you have that buzzer thing Dino got on eBay?”  
  
Hasan says, "I got a couple of them. I brought one.”

Terry says, “If we don’t get cooperation start with that. Lets start with the other guy.”

Terry says, “Hasan you want to do the uh interview.”

“Sure. I’ll start.”

*

There is a black bag, unzipped slightly open by one wall of the porch.

The man with Boyd is in the chair. Hood on. Undressed. Hands tied to the arms of the chair. Hasan walks over and takes the tape off his mouth.

“Where am I? Who are you? What do you want?”

Hasan says, “We are going to ask the questions.”

“This is kidnapping. It’s a federal crime. You can’t do this.”

“Tell us your name.”

“Why should I? “

“A dozen reasons. Because I asked. Because I can shock you on your feet or palms or genitals. I can make you feel you are drowning. I can pull you nails out. I can starve you. Deprive you of water. I can break your legs or arms. You will eventually tell me everything I want to know. Anything I ask you will tell me. You will want to tell me. But it is all unpleasant. For both of us. So I will ask again. But then I will begin to demonstrate what your failing to cooperate will bring.

“Corky my name is Corky.”

“Your whole name please.”

“Corky Elliot.”

"And your companion’s name? "

"Boyd. Boyd Elliot."

"Are you related?"

"Our dads are brothers; he’s my cousin."

"What were you doing in the parking lot this evening?"

“Boyd said a guy owed him money. Said he might need to scare the guy a little. Said it was a lot of money.”

“Did you believe that a guy owed him some money?”

“Look I’ll answer your questions. I don’t like this. Being undressed. Tied to a chair. In the U.S. you’re not supposed to do this.”

Hasan goes over to the black bag. Gets the shock button he got on eBay. Hasan walks back over to Corky, kneels down lifts one of his feet, shocks him on the soul of his foot. 

Corky yells. Struggles tries to get up the chair tips. Hasan give the chair a push with his foot. The chair topples over. Corky screams again. Corky is lying there chair on its side.

”All right I didn’t believe him.”

“Tell us about your cousin.”

”Okay sure man. Put the chair up. I’ll tell you. You don’t need to shock me. Don’t do it again. Please. What do you want to know?”

“How old are you?”

”24.”

“How old is your cousin?”

”He’s 28.”

”Where do you live, your address.”

Corky gives him an address. He says he lives with his parents.

Hasan picks up the chair. Corky with it. Repositions him.

“Where does your cousin live?.

“With his dad some, with Ava some.”

”Is there any reason we shouldn’t kill you both.”

”No. Look, we didn’t get the money. We didn’t hurt anybody. We’ll stop.”

”How many times have you done this? Ava the pictures, the rape threat?”

“Four. Three. One guy left town. Older guys.”

”Did you keep blackmailing them?”

”No. Too much trouble. Boyd said we could. But we haven’t. “


End file.
